A friend recently wrote about her Top 10 Writer Crushes - and it was so enlightening and wonderful to see who has inspired this prolific reader and literary-lover. And so, here is my top 10 writer crush list. Yes yes, I want to be ALL of these people.
Lauren Child - do we really need a reason?
AA Gill - writer, reviewer, critic and witty, satirical word master - he just puts words together like no one can; have had a major mag crush on him and about to read my first AA book
Emily Gravett - just all-round talent - visually, creatively - her children's books are unique, evocative, simple, clever, packed with emotion and visual lustre... they even smell nice
Dr Seuss - there was, and will never be, anyone like Theodore Geisel
Nigella Lawson - I know she's not strictly a writer, she is an author, and this talented woman's prose-like vernacular isn't limited to her cooking shows... it drips from her cookbooks like great hulking orbs of creamy delight... I read her recipes just to hear her literary voice
Bill Bryson - this man just astounds me; from his travel books to his biographies and incredible recent release At Home, I sit in awe at his research abilities, his writing style, his clarity, foresight and mostly - his passion for such fascinating work
William Shakespeare - do I need a reason? and I ask thee this: who's list would he NOT be on? I know Shakespeare seems a given for any writer-crush-list, but honestly - the reasons are superfluous... from his ability to enrapture, horrify, enthrall, woo and assault, the Bard's exquisite and evocative prose is only the icing on the cake to the richest gâteau of masterful storytelling; put it this way - I wept by the church on the River Avon, over Willy
Oliver Jeffers - this Belfast-native is such an unlikely lad - a cute, skinny alternative dude who just happens to have beauty and honesty and emotion and exquisite pictures pouring and stories out of him
Jackie French - this astonishing all-rounder - who writes in so many genres from history to children to gardening - is not only super talented and prolific, she's a really lovely person whose brain is simply busting with such an enriching and mind-boggling encyclopedia of knowledge; I would dive into her brain if she'd only let me
And of course - Enid Blyton - my serious, long-standing, childhood crush whose books still never fail to enchant and delight me
And because I can't resist, I also need to mention CS Lewis, Morris Gleitzman, Marcel Pagnol, Oscar Wilde, Mo Willems, Khalil Gibran, Lewis Carroll, Aesop, Paulo Coelho, Herman Hesse, Tim Winton, Victor Hugo, Roald Dahl - who all belong in the above list, too. There's no need to know the reasons why... they speak for themselves, do they not?
Who are your writer crushes? - for her childlike wonder and perfect encapsulation of children; her Charlie and Lola books (among others) epitomise my love of writing from the heart, with a totally unique voice - one that doesn't conform to formula; also love her images, for the same reason
1 comment:
Hey what about Chopper Read? Only kidding.....you have just about covered it for me. Toni Morrison, Louisa May Alcott, Colleen McCullough, Bryce Courtney and about 20 I will remember after I hit "post comment". Oh that Tania McCartney chick is not bad either.....
Stephenie Meyer gets a special mention as well as JK Rawling but don't tell anyone I said so ;)
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